You Can Tell You're at a REAL Auto Parts Store When...

I read in hot rod a couple months ago a quote from a guy that owned one of the very parts stores you speak of, he said, "You want what you need, not what I have in stock"

 

Ive been a parts guy since I was 14 yrs old Im 53 now and never have worked in a chain store I do know how to find parts in a book..lol. I have a Walker Exhaust catalouge rack in my collection still in the box.. If I could afford it id open a "real parts store" of my own..awesome thread

 

I need a short 2 1/4" exhaust pipe with very tight bends. Can you supply me with part numbers?
I need it to run from fuel cap to gas tank on my avatar

 

I went into a Bumper to Bumper in a small town, driving My Model A and asked the parts guy if he had an alternator to fit my car. It only took him a second (I could see the gears turning in his eyes) and he said 'Yes' I knew I had a good parts man!

 

I worked at a " Jobber Warehouse" in the late 70s, early 80s. It was a division of a very old, family owned, auto parts store that was big enough to be considered a Warehouse Distributor. ( This was Shepherd's Auto Supply, and SAS Warehouse for those that are from the Roanoke Va. area.) We had a whole wall full of parts catalogs, and one of my duties was to put the new catalogs in the slots and toss out the old, outdated, editions. I would sure like to have a bunch of the old catalogs and numerical sales guides I trashed back in those days! TRW Engine and Chassis parts. Perfect Circle piston rings. McCord gaskets. Lempco automatic tranny parts. National Seals and Bearings. Timken bearings Delco NDH bearings and Delco Electrical parts. Proto Tools. Federal Mogul bearings. Champions Plugs. And many others I can't remember right now! I would like to have one of those big old catalog racks, using the old Weatherly index, in my garage now!.

 

When you walk in with a part in you're hand & the counter man identifies it (thats a tough one) but it happened back in the day before computerization.

 

Where did time go ?
What happen to the old stores that had wooden floors. That make all the noise when you walked in and holes was patched with nails and tin.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh yesssssssssssssssssssss.I remember them well.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo